salame
/saˈla.me/masculine
The English word 'salami' is translated into Italian as salame.
salame is a noun used to refer to the sausage.
Meaning: sausage (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
Specific varieties of this sausage exist in different parts of Italy, such as salame di Felino from the Emilia-Romagna region and salame napoletano from the Naples region. You may also encounter the term Salame di campagna, which refers to a countryside salami made using rustic ingredients and techniques.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables and the stress is on the second syllable: /saˈla.me/.
Did you know?
- In Italian, calling someone a salame is a common way to call them a dummy or a goofball. It is a mild, often affectionate insult rather than a harsh one.
- The word salame is built from the Italian word sale, which means 'salt'. This reflects the historical necessity of using salt to preserve the meat during the curing process.
- In many parts of Italy, the way a salame is cured is strictly protected by law, meaning you cannot simply call any sausage a 'salame di [region]' unless it meets specific local standards.
Examples in context
- Mi piace il salame.I like salami.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for salame.Tatoeba #6609520 by Guybrush88, translation #6890583 by CK
- Ti preparo un panino con il salame.I'll make you a salami sandwich.This sentence is useful for describing the preparation of a sandwich containing salame.Tatoeba #11769199 by Nuel, translation #11769196 by Nuel
- I gatti possono mangiare un po' di salame.Cats can have a little salami.This sentence is useful for noting that cats can eat a small amount of salame.Tatoeba #11741374 by WM3DAS, translation #9407040 by shekitten
- Vorrei un panino con salame, per favore.I would like a sandwich with salami, please.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Lorenzo are at a local deli.
- SofiaHai comprato un salame per la cena?Did you buy a salami for dinner?
- LorenzoSì, ho preso un salame molto buono.Yes, I picked out a very good salami.
- SofiaOttimo, lo tagliamo subito?Great, shall we cut it now?
- LorenzoSì, prepariamo un tagliere.Yes, let's prepare a platter.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “salami” translations and entries salame, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries salame, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
